Author Topic: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?  (Read 17306 times)

stoneaxe

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #15 on: June 01, 2015, 07:42:32 AM »
I've come somewhat full circle on this. Saw a wide mix of doctors, the next to last being the neurosurgeon that did my head in 2009. Then we went to see the neurosurgeon that taught him and who's specialty is he neck and back. They went back through all my films. I have yearly MRI's of my head going back to 2003 and he showed me that the cyst has been there a long time, is smaller than I previously had been told and hasn't changed so it's unlikely to be causing any issues. He said it has likely been there since I blew out the disc long ago. He also said the current state of my neck doesn't warrant surgery and suggested I continue the low dose ant-inflammatory (which seems to be helping) and go see a Physical Doctor to do therapy. I have yet to see the physical doc but I've already seen significant improvement just by taking the anti-inflammatory, wearing a cervical collar to bed on occasion, and some yoga. Very happy to avoid surgery as long as possible so long as I'm not doing any damage and they didn't think there was danger of that.

The pain I feel is a sharp and mostly concentrated in the elbow and shoulder. My left arm is the weakest. I lost almost all use of it when the disc blew out 20 years ago. Up until 9 or so months ago it was all OK though. I had probably 90% of my strength in my left arm and none of the pins and needles. It came on slowly, got worse to where it was causing issues. Right now its close to being back at the level it was prior to this flare up. Some slight additional weakness in my left and a dull ache but manageable. Hopefully some more therapy will help further.

Good luck Sterbo, this definitely sucks, hope it works out.

Bob

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sterbo

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #16 on: June 01, 2015, 04:19:57 PM »
Many thanks axe

It's extraordinary really. I've spent close to 70 years active on all fronts. The fall and subsequent 50 years of dealing with my back, while harsh, has always been manageable.
I guess because I found a way to navigate those shoals and rock and roll all this time I've never had, or needed? a reality check until now - that WTF - I'm getting older.
It's a bizarre concept really. Don't want to give it credence on one hand but I'm a logical creature on the other.

I mean, wow, is it really possible that I can't go hundreds of years feeling like a kid? I have up until this year so what the fuck happened?

:sigh:

Twitchy

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #17 on: June 02, 2015, 08:26:06 AM »

I haven't had the surgery, but it was recommended by my spinal specialist (Fusion by one, replacement by another, wait and see by another due to my age and activity level).  I broke my back about 6 years ago and have had problems since then.  Had all the usual numbness/tingling/range of motion loss/constant pain/etc.  My L3/L4/L5/S1 are pretty much flat now with lots of nerve root impingement.  I chose not to use narcotics and tried all the various nerve meds but they only provided mild help.  Too many epidurals and facet injections to count.  RF Denervation helped for a while.  <---AKA lightening bolts when they get it wrong
Staying fit (I used to be a gym rat) helped a lot, but after my last round of PT the therapist and treating doctor advised against lifting anything more than 25lbs due to the deterioration on my lower vertebrae.  Now I use SUP/SUS as my fitness regime-actually a main reason for starting SUPing.  The pain is constant but applying the yoga type workouts from PT and SUPing/SUSing keeps things somewhat in check.  If it didn't suck so bad it would be comical.  I look like an infant trying to roll over every morning when I get out of bed.
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Wetstuff

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #18 on: June 02, 2015, 12:34:43 PM »
Simply anecdotal but I had the tingly hands and pain down the arm about a decade ago.  Rather than go to an orthopod, I bought a cervical collar ..the real one with a chin rest, trach hole and tall back.  Ahhhhh... I would wear it in the evenings.  There's nothing like taking a load off.  It seemed to allow me to relax and get some relief. I have kept it, but not needed it.   

Jim
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stoneaxe

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #19 on: June 03, 2015, 10:22:23 AM »
I'm going to get one that is more substantial than the foam one I have. I think it definitely helps but the foam one can restrict breathing. I've woken up a couple times in the middle of the night feeling like I was being strangled.
Bob

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PonoBill

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #20 on: June 03, 2015, 08:12:29 PM »
I used to have my hands and fingers go numb in the weeks after a car racing weekend. Then on the recommendation of a doctor I race against I tightened up the restraint on my Hans device. I can't turn my head much without swinging my body, and once I'm belted into my six point harness I'm pretty much only looking straight ahead, but no numb hands!

And all my competitors look to see my eyes in the mirrors before they try something daring on the inside. Sometimes a handicap is an advantage.
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covesurfer

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #21 on: June 03, 2015, 10:53:14 PM »
I used to have my hands and fingers go numb in the weeks after a car racing weekend. Then on the recommendation of a doctor I race against I tightened up the restraint on my Hans device.

Is that anything like a 'Hans Free' device?

Admin

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #22 on: June 04, 2015, 10:44:28 AM »
When I tilt my head forward my whole body feels as if I I'm hooked up to a low voltage battery - more or less like a TENS machine without the pulsing, just steady and constant. No pain, just an all encompassing electrical current surging though out. Bizarre.

That sounds like L’HERMITTE’S sign.

sterbo

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #23 on: June 06, 2015, 04:31:24 PM »
When I tilt my head forward my whole body feels as if I I'm hooked up to a low voltage battery - more or less like a TENS machine without the pulsing, just steady and constant. No pain, just an all encompassing electrical current surging though out. Bizarre.

That sounds like L’HERMITTE’S sign.
Thanks Admin
As you know, L'hermitte's Phenomenon is simply a sign that something may be damaging the spinal cord.
Typically there are 6 or 7 reasons. In my case the initial fall, injury, subsequent decades of repeated trauma and aging have resulted in a rather clear picture.
It's worth noting that L'hermitte's typically describes the 'electrical charge' induced by forward bending of the neck as being momentary. In my case it remains fully charged as long as I maintain that position. Additionally, it's analogous to a rheostat: when my neck is in it's normal erect posture the 'electrical current' is constant throughout my whole body - the only exception being from my neck up. When I tilt my head forward it's like ratcheting up the Stat, the impulse is still constant but increased as long as I hold that position.
The other day I met with a PM&R specialist at Kaiser who showed me the 3d modeling of the MRI I had a few weeks ago. It was a brutal reality check. Starting at C1 and moving through C3 I could see perfectly healthy discs and spinal column representation. When he moved into and through C4 thru C6 we could no longer make out my spinal cord, the stenosis being so pronounced.
He  then put me thru a battery of tests - reflex, balance, strength, pain. So far that's the good news. Reflexes were mostly good. Balance was good. Strength was good. Pain was so-so.
Bad news? He was adamant that some kind of surgery is not a matter of if, but rather when.
Further bad news? Said that I need to be seriously on my game so as not to take any kind of fall. Made it clear that should I trip and go down or whatever variation of that theme I could easily end up paralyzed to one degree or another.
 Told me that he wants to be as cautious and thorough as possible before we make a decision as to how best to proceed. To that end he's referred me to specialists in both Neurology and Orthopedic Surgery for consults.
One step at a time.

Pretty stressed out right now. I'm so grateful for the feedback you guys have provided me.




PonoBill

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #24 on: June 07, 2015, 07:56:46 AM »
I don't quite understand the term Stenosis used here. It generally means narrowing.

That's a tough place for injury, though somewhat common. Some kind of whiplash? Since it is fairly common and more accessible than either higher or lower vertebrae you'd have a much better chance for success from the surgery.
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sterbo

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #25 on: June 07, 2015, 11:33:14 AM »
I don't quite understand the term Stenosis used here. It generally means narrowing.

Yes, among other aspects of stenosis it means exactly that. Seems that the fall I took along with repeated trauma over decades along with the aging process has caused that area of my spinal column to suffer significant degeneration and ligamental / bony structure impingement into the spinal canal thereby compressing and impairing the nerves of my spinal cord. Ergo, the endless numbness / tingling / electrical current sensations.

Quote
That's a tough place for injury, though somewhat common. Some kind of whiplash?
If I remember correctly, you have construction experience. Visualize this -

I was a 22 year old carpenter in Malibu. My little brother and I were carrying a 20 foot beam from the site up onto the framed and sheeted floor of the house we were building. The floor was a little over 12" above grade.
I was the one walking backwards. Once I had stepped up and was on the sheeted floor I continued to walk backwards. When by brother got to the point where he needed to step up, I concentrated on 'the pull' to give him the momentum he need to step up and onto the floor too.
What I forgot about, while concentrating on the need to pull, was that behind me there was an open space where eventually there would be a six foot stair down the the dropped floor area below. That was simply a hole since we hadn't yet framed any kind of steps etc. The floor below hadn't been sheeted so was still as series of open floor joists. As I took another step back I free fell backwards into the opening. Falling backwards my body was almost horizontal at 6 feet down. At that point the back of my neck - C4 thru C6 area - impacted the first open joist. I massively whiplashed my neck as I continued to free fall another 7 or 8 feet to the dirt crawl space.
Didn't loose consciousness but was severely stunned.
I was in great shape from all the years of every day surfing and youth being what is is I went home but came back to work two days later.
So yea, - whiplash :(
Quote
Since it is fairly common and more accessible than either higher or lower vertebrae you'd have a much better chance for success from the surgery.
I hope so. The MRI of that area was awful to look at. Next up are the consults with specialists in Neurology and Orthopedic Surgery.

Thanks for the feedback Bill

PonoBill

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #26 on: June 07, 2015, 12:41:28 PM »
Ugh. Been there, done something similar. The injuries we ignored in our youth are all waiting for the reunion.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #27 on: June 07, 2015, 01:35:51 PM »
Sorry to hear that you are dealing with this Sterbo.  Does activity turn up the Rheostat (with or without head lowering)?  SUP. Walking, etc? 

sterbo

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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #28 on: June 07, 2015, 03:40:37 PM »
No, activity doesn't dial it up. Curious as to what you're thinking regarding that question.

The Doc said that the fact that tilting my head (even gently) down, does cause the charge to increase is a very bad sign which is why, in part, he's so concerned that I figure out as quickly as possible how best to proceed.

I sometimes wonder about the paddling only insofar as my feet are concerned. The numbness, etc. charge etc. is more intense there and I don's suppose that standing on a board paddling distance is helping. But, I can't say that it's problematic either. For example, I went for a couple of weeks about a month ago whereby I didn't paddle at all.
I had a bad cold for 5 days and then the wind here decided to go into an unusual pattern by kicking up very early and blowing extremely hard until very late. That said, I took notice that the two weeks forced inactivity on the water made no difference to the intensity in my feet - or anywhere else for that matter.
Can't tell you how happy that's made me. I've been on pins and needles (pun intended) thinking that one doctor or another would, when I told them I'm a rather hard core paddler, tell me to stop. Instead, they've all said to go for it.
I don't even want to begin to think about how screwed up and depressing it would be if I couldn't get out on the water.
Knock on wood...




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Re: Anyone had disc surgery? How was the result?
« Reply #29 on: June 08, 2015, 05:18:25 AM »
No, activity doesn't dial it up. Curious as to what you're thinking regarding that question.

Hi Sterbo,

I am just comparing notes.  We are brothers in current.  The Tesla brothers :).  What you had written about head position struck a chord (apologies for that). I have no answers for you, unfortunately, and am also just learning here from others who have, or have had, similar situations.


 


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